Jean Hay Bright on Homeland Security

Patriot Act revisions are "truly frightening"

The revised Patriot Act contains a couple of clauses that are truly frightening. The worst one would allow a person to be thrown into prison for a year for holding up an "unauthorized sign" at a Democratic or Republican national convention, at an
appearance by the President or Vice President, or at any other event designated by the Secret Service as a "national security event."

Of course, being thrown in prison for holding up a sign that is offensive to our government is a blatant violation
of our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. But if these clauses added to the Patriot Act revision are allowed to become law, will the Supreme Court, with Judge John Roberts and possibly Judge Samuel Alito on board, uphold that
First Amendment right of ours? At this point in time, I wouldn't count on it.

These are scary times in the United States of America. We must take back our democracy, get out of Iraq, and start putting America back together.